Letter to the Speaker of
the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee Reporting on the Cyprus Conflict

May 24, 1988

Dear
Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. Chairman:)

In
accordance with Public Law 95 - 384, I am submitting to you a bimonthly report
on progress toward a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus question.

Major
meetings were held by U.S. officials with Cypriot
leaders during the past two months. Secretary of State Shultz visited Cyprus on April
8, 1988,
during the course of travel to a number of Middle Eastern countries. The
Secretary met with Cypriot Foreign Minister Iacovou
and stressed to him our desire to be helpful in the effort to achieve a Cyprus solution. The Secretary
also underlined our continuing support for the United Nations Secretary
General's good offices mission.

Special
Cyprus Coordinator M. James Wilkinson visited Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey in late March and early
April, meeting in Cyprus with President Vassiliou, Foreign Minister Iacovou,
Turkish Cypriot community leader Denktash, and other
political and government leaders. Mr. Wilkinson strongly emphasized our belief
that negotiations should be started as soon as possible under the aegis of the
U.N. Secretary General and his representative in Cyprus, Oscar Camilion. Mr. Wilkinson also stated that the United States wishes to be helpful in
the effort to start negotiations, but that the parties themselves must elect to
begin the process.

The
new U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus, Bill K. Perrin,
arrived in Cyprus on April 28 and
presented his credentials to President Vassiliou on May
3, 1988.
Ambassador Perrin begins his tour of duty at a time when we enjoy excellent
bilateral relations with Cyprus and stands ready to
lend all possible support to efforts to solve the Cyprus dispute.

During
the period under review both Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders expressed their
continued interest in working with the U.N. Secretary General in pursuit of a
settlement. At the same time, both parties pointed to statements and actions by
the other side that they argue call into question the sincerity of such
expressions.

Also,
during the reporting period, the Turkish Cypriot authorities began stamping the
passports of certain travelers entering the Turkish Cypriot sector across the
U.N.-controlled buffer zone. The Turkish Cypriots have asserted that the new
measures were established in response to long-standing Greek Cypriot
restrictions on travel between the two sectors. We and others have questioned
the initiative and urged maximum effort by all parties to restart serious
negotiations.

Financial
problems for the United Nations Force in Cyprus [UNFICYP] remain
severe. In mid-April, UNFICYP troop contributors vigorously renewed their
appeal for a switch in UNFICYP's funding base to
assessed contributions in place of the present voluntary contributions. The
United Nations Force in Cyprus's cumulative deficit is
over $160 million, borne entirely by the troop-contributing countries. We
continue to consult with U.N. officials and the troop contributors on this
problem.

Regarding
congressional interest in Cyprus, I applaud House
Concurrent Resolution 274 that commends the Prime Ministers of Greece and Turkey ``on their
statesmanship in initiating their current dialogue.'' I agree with the positive
thoughts expressed in that Resolution and, like its authors, hope that the
high-level meetings between Greece and Turkey ``may result in the
creation of an atmosphere that is conducive to . . . a resolution of the Cyprus problem.''

The
United States continues to believe
that the time is ripe for resuming negotiations without preconditions. An early
meeting, facilitated as appropriate by the U.N. Secretary General, between the
leaders of the two communities also appears desirable. At the same time, we
continue to favor expanded contacts at all levels to reduce tensions and to
complement, not substitute for, substantive negotiations.

Sincerely,

Ronald
Reagan

Note: Identical letters
were sent to Jim Wright, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Claiborne
Pell, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.